Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Kingston vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,286 per month in Kingston vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,226 per month in Kingston vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Kingston costs about 132% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 75% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.33

$5.99 COP 21.3K

179.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$104

$32.86 COP 116.9K

126.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 CA$15.70

$7.09 COP 25.2K

59.24%

Cappuccino

$3.55 CA$4.94

$1.71 COP 6,093

107.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.10 COP 3,910

70.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$0.78 COP 2,771

82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.04

$1.68 COP 5,976

244.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 CA$9.20

$3.07 COP 10.9K

115.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$1.09 COP 3,892

135.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.55

$1.26 COP 4,492

102.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$1.38 COP 4,905

194.20%

Eggs

$2.92 CA$4.06

$2.19 COP 7,799

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CA$14.67

$4.40 COP 15.7K

139.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$5.63 COP 20.0K

100.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.44

$8.89 COP 31.6K

32.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.06

$2.34 COP 8,319

55.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.06 COP 3,764

23.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$1.50 COP 5,355

168.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.62

$1.38 COP 4,906

244.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.97

$1.15 COP 4,097

210.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$1.16 COP 4,141

98.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$0.89 COP 3,170

235.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$0.84 COP 2,986

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 CA$18.91

$2.28 COP 8,116

496.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CA$17.39

$10.64 COP 37.9K

17.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$1.20 COP 4,268

89.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$2.47 COP 8,793

39.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$0.86 COP 3,045

206.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.5

$41.40 COP 147.3K

45.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$1.47 COP 5,245

119.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.96 COP 6,984

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.53 CA$46.63

$7.74 COP 27.5K

333.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$0.95 COP 3,397

15.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

38.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-20.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 CA$186

$82.3 COP 292.7K

62.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.78 CA$60.9

$9.50 COP 33.8K

360.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 CA$109

$24.23 COP 86.2K

223.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.93 CA$44.41

$25.89 COP 92.1K

23.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 CA$12.95

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-51.00%

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 CA$15.51

$3.93 COP 14.0K

183.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$434 CA$604

$309 COP 1.1M

40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

95.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.04 CA$64.0

$58.7 COP 208.7K

-21.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 CA$48.86

$32.35 COP 115.1K

8.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 CA$133

$103 COP 365.1K

-6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$131

$108 COP 385.8K

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CA$1,778

$476 COP 1.7M

168.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 CA$1,594

$379 COP 1.3M

202.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 CA$2,870

$838 COP 3.0M

146.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 CA$2,285

$724 COP 2.6M

126.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,486 CA$4,848

$2,791 COP 9.9M

24.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,498 CA$3,474

$1,211 COP 4.3M

106.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,996 CA$4,167

$512 COP 1.8M

485.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.43

-50.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Kingston versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 485% higher in Kingston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Kingston versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $188 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kingston vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,347 in Kingston, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 132% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,521 per month in Kingston and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,347 in Kingston and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Kingston at $2,347. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $2,347 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.